What We Know
A funky new dial is probably the least surprising thing to come from Ming these days, but somehow, the new Ming 37.06 Royal Selangor still feels like a compelling play on the brand’s two-hander 37-series design. This time around, Ming doubles down on its Malaysian roots for a collaboration with Malaysian pewter brand Royal Selangor. What we get is a dramatically hammered pewter dial, made by Royal Selangor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The grooves and scales of the hammering are quite exaggerated for the size of the dial, which offers an uninterrupted surface for the hammering without any printing or applied markers.
With this expansive, highly textured dial, Ming’s usage of the top sapphire crystal as an alternative place for dial markings is very useful, with the underside of the top sapphire crystal engraved and infilled with Super-LumiNova X1 for a luminescent track with hour markers and Ming’s logo at the top that floats above the hammered pewter surface. It’s complemented by the distinctive blued 37-series handset, also coated with a generous amount of Super-LumiNova.
The luster of the dial is framed by the more demure look of a fully-brushed grade-2 titanium case, with a diameter of 38mm, a thickness of 11.05mm, and a compact lug-to-lug of 44.73mm. Engraved on the periphery of the exhibition caseback is Ming and Royal Selangor branding, and through the sapphire crystal, the automatic Sellita for MING SW300.M1 is seen in full view. Yes, on paper the movement is no different from any common Sellita SW300, but as with many of Ming’s calibers, it’s been highly customized for the brand with skeletonized and blacked-out bridges, as well as a skeletonized, signed rotor. Water resistance is 100 meters.
Interestingly, Ming once again fully commits to the Malaysian collaboration by assembling all 88 pieces of the limited edition locally in Kuala Lumpur, rather than in Switzerland, where most Mings are assembled. It comes in a special hammered pewter box, also made by Royal Selangor for the collaboration. The Ming 37.06 Royal Selangor is accompanied by a pewter presentation box also made by Royal Selangor, mirroring the texture of the dial for something you can keep on your desk. The limited edition will be available through Ming and Royal Selangor boutiques, and priced at CHF 5,000.
What We Think
Right after what seems to be a—excuse the pun—lightning-in-a-bottle collaboration that was the Ming and J.N. Shapiro 37.06 Lightning introduced in early June, it’s quite surprising to see another 37.06 with a unique dial released so soon after. But conceptually, the two could not be more different, and I think they actually showcase the breadth of fun that Ming has with its different variations.
I don’t believe Royal Selangor is the biggest name to a Western audience, but if you’ve spent any time in Asia, I think it’s a much more familiar name that’s synonymous with pewter craft and gorgeous decorative objects. But regardless of whether you know the name, I think this dial is absolutely stunning. It’s a fantastic play with monochromatic shades of different metals, and a pewter dial is certainly noteworthy, especially paired with titanium. The minimalist design of the 37.06 is also the right platform for such a visually noisy dial, and the sizing of those hammered dents really scratches my brain in a great way. It’ll be very interesting for the 88 owners to see how the dial ages and patinas over time.
The Basics
Brand: Ming x Royal Selangor
Model: 37.06
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 11.05mm
Case Material: Grade 2 titanium
Dial Color: Pewter
Indexes: Engraved on crystal
Lume: Super-LumiNova X1
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Blue-grey goat leather strap by Jean Rousseau with quick release and micro-adjustment flying-blade buckle
The Movement
Caliber: Sellita for MING SW300.M1
Functions: Hours, minutes
Diameter: 25.6mm
Thickness: 3.6mm
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 4 Hz
Jewels: 25
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: CHF 5,000
Availability: Ming retailers and Royal Selangor boutiques
Limited Edition: Yes, 88 pieces.
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